"I do believe I can help you out, friend Zakarras," Simon says, smiling gently. The old man steps over, takes Zak's hand and places it on one of his own -- the hand holding his cane. He places his other hand on top of Zakarras' and briefly closes his eyes.
Almost immediately, Zakarras can feel a surge of health and vitality pass through his body.
...or Zak would, had the magic been imparted to him. A wheezing sound comes forth from the cane. It takes a few moments to recognize the sound for what it is - Grovnaidel has sighed.
Exactly how does this help the House?, comes a muffled voice that can only be the blade. I can only do this once a day, and let's be honest, you need the help more than Flyboy here.
There's a short silence, and the blade speaks again, quieter this time. I've heard your cough. It's more persistent now. Winning the Tournament is your last best hope for cleansing the curse upon the ancestral lands...on your line, Simon. If I do this, and something happens to you before I can do this again, I've damned the whole line.
Simon's face sags into a map of weary wrinkles, and he sighs -- and then he starts to cough. It goes on for maybe half a minute before he has himself back under control and he can wipe the spittle -- and a very little blood -- from his lips.
"Warriors of the Five Elements," Simon says once he has his voice back under control, "I introduce you to my oldest, most loyal companion: Grovnaidel, the sword of my family. His dedication to undoing a curse that blighted my family home is older than I am, more pure than my own. He represents the best qualities of my family -- and that is why I refused to leave him outside, when we were at the Rose's temple."
Simon bestows a feeble smile on Asha. "You understand, I'm sure. Leaving a friend out all alone, in the hands of strangers... is simply not done."
The old man addresses the sword cane, holding it horizontally before him on the palms of his hands. "This serves the blood, my loyal one, because I have joined my fate to the fate of these people. Their success is my success. To be crass, I need them to get my shot at the Ruby Phoenix's treasure trove. Unless they survive to succeed, I have no chance to succeed. Please. Help my comrade pass this stage."
"Oh, um, Grovnaidel?" Zak intones, unsure how one goes about addressing intelligent magic items that are likely smarter than he is, "Please, might I enjoy your boon as I help your steward win this tournament and bring glory back to your family. I promise you that if Simon perishes I shall take up the mission to restore your family to their lands, I shall make his quest my own, and perhaps the reward of winning this tournament will provide the edge that brings success." Afraid to even think otherwise, lest Grovnaidel can read his thoughts as well, Zak keeps his mind quiet and hopes for acceptance.
Asha's mouth drops open, and she stares in surprise and, perhaps, a little discomfort at the weapon. An intelligent mind in a form crafted solely to kill... What a painful existence that must be for it!
Oh, do close your mouth, woman, comes the same tinny voice you heard only moments before. Honestly, you look like a carp that someone just dragged from the oceans.
The silence that passes as you await Grovnaidel's response is palpable. Eventually, it responds.
If you so swear, Zak, then I'd better make sure you don't drown yourself. Simon has placed his trust in you, and if I find that trust to be misplaced, I will be...displeased. The last word is said with a steely resolve that causes Marythsan to raise an eyebrow and squint his eyes in Simon's direction, shrugging a few moments later.
Lay me upon his shoulder, Grovnaidel requests. As the blade is lowered upon Zak's shoulder, both the blade and he are suffused with a warm glow. Almost immediately, Zak feels the weariness from battle with Huyanwo lifted. Make use of this gift, Warrior.
Humbled, Zak offers his thanks to Grovnaidel, quietly, and enters the arena for his trial.
Zarina had never seen in intelligent weapon before, so she stood quietly, waiting to see what else it could do. She probably didn't need much help to deal with fire, as that was her specialty.
"HA!" Poog barks out at the sword's words to Asha.
"He am like It," Poog muses out loud. "Helpful but annoying. You am hoping to find way to get rid of him too obviously? Poog am understanding, Simon."
The dirty terrier growls at the goblin as he finishes speaking.
"This curse, it no am catching, right?"
"On the contrary," Simon replies. "Grovnaidel is a true friend and a great help to me. Especially in these, my declining years, when I as often find myself needing a cane as I do a sword." The old man smiles - a bit. "And the curse is solely on my ancestral lands. It has not reached beyond -- although we have noticed some slight expansion over the years."
Asha closes her mouth, frowning, her eyes narrow. She turns her attention to Simon. "I find myself dangerously close to overcommitted," she says, thinking of Huyanwo, "but I'd never let a companion's home suffer so. No matter what we find in the Ruby Phoenix's vault, Simon, if you need aid in removing the curse after we are finished, you can rest assured I will be there to provide it."
"OK, that am fine." Poog shrugs, apparently utterly unconcerned about this curse now that he knows it's not going to directly affect him.
Simon closes his eyes and bows his head to Asha.
"I thank you. But the task is primarily my own. Only if I fall and you find yourselves unable to restore me to life would I ask it of you. My hopes for salvation from an item in the Ruby Phoenix's treasure hoard has not been dashed just yet."
With all the preparations finished, you are led towards the iron maidens you have chosen. The doors are closed behind you, and you are bolted into the metal enclosure. You are jostled as you are positioned for your trial to begin, and after an interminable amount of time, it does.
Zak whispers a thanks to Grovnaidel and takes a deep breath, steeling himself for the long wait.
Any character can hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to twice her Constitution score. If a character takes a standard or full-round action, the remaining duration that the character can hold her breath is reduced by 1 round. After this period of time, the character must make a DC 10 Constitution check every round in order to continue holding her breath. Each round, the DC increases by 1.When the character finally fails her Constitution check, she begins to drown. In the first round, she falls unconscious (0 hp). In the following round, she drops to –1 hit points and is dying. In the third round, she drowns.
Unconscious characters must begin making Constitution checks immediately upon being submerged (or upon becoming unconscious if the character was conscious when submerged). Once she fails one of these checks, she immediately drops to –1 (or loses 1 additional hit point, if her total is below –1). On the following round, she drowns.
Fort save
Fort save
With a bursting gasp as he surfaces, Zak draws air into his lungs while stars swim in his vision. "Thank you Grovnaidel!"
You each are released from your iron maidens in varying states of discomfort. Asha's time inside her metal coffin was just over a minute, but time seemed to lengthen, and she could have sworn she heard her brother's voice inside the maiden with her at the end. "This is how we both die," it said. "In darkness." She emerged shaken, but victorious.
Zak was fortunate to be alive. Without Grovnaidel's assistance, he wasn't sure if he would have been able to hold his breath long enough to stay submerged. He's very aware he could have died, right then and there, in the quiet darkness, and Shrike would have escaped the Tournament unpunished for killing Squilliam. That would have been an ignoble death. But he'd survived, and the instant that he was pulled above the water line, he was reminded why he chose to master the element of air in the first place.
Zarina emerged slightly sweaty, but otherwise unscathed. In fact, the most trying part of the ordeal was she felt an itch on the small of her back, and no matter how she tried to rub against the back of the iron maiden, she couldn't scratch it to satisfaction. After ten minutes, she was nursing the most powerful itch she had known in her life!
Zarina burst from her prison, summoning her claws and scratching for all she was worth at the small of her back. She wasn't sure if it was a natural itch, or if someone was trying to sabotage her.
Asha steps out of her confinement, looking ill at ease. A few coughs, though, are the only physical sign of her experience.
Zarina breathes a sigh of relief once she's finally able to scratch that itch.
The crowd cheers as you emerge from your prisons triumphant, and the monks present you with your spoils. Apparently, the Emissary has chosen to pass out ironic gifts, as each of them would have been supremely useful in dealing with the trials you just went through.
While you went through your ordeals, Gomwai triumphed over the tattooed magician, making him the fourth and final entrant into the semifinal round of the Tournament. If you can triumph over The Four From Avistan tomorrow, you will either face him, or the elven samurai Payudiel Arikametsu, depending upon which of them is victorious. For now, though, the iron maidens are cleared away and the force walls dropped from the fight stage to bring a more festival-like feel to the grounds. Aerialists twirl upon silken sashes, fireworks explode overhead, a trio of tengu swordsmen perform a stunning display of bladework, and elaborate puppet shows and comedy skits give a light-hearted air to the end of the fourth day. Many commoners and even some of the eliminated contestants join in, and you receive several offers to join in the entertainments as well.
"I would suggest we do not split up for the festivities," Simon murmurs to the others. "After the bomb we just dropped, it would not surprise me at all if the criminal scum tried to rub us out next -- the more stupid ones, anyway."
Zarina offers her potion to the group. "It won't do me much good. I can either cast the spell, or shrug off most of the fire effects. One of you should take it."
"You no need worry, Simon. Poog am protecting you if there am trouble," the goblin says, no sign of humor in his voice.
Poog reaches out for the potion. "Fire am powerful. It am always good to be protected from it."
Zak hands his potion to Zarina or Asha, "Here, this would best serve our group in one of your hands if we face a foe hiding in water."
Approaching Simon, Zak again offers his thanks to him and Grovnaidel, "Thanks be to you, Simon, and to you, Grovnaidel, I doubt I would have survived the trial without your benefit."
All that, for a potion. Hardly seems like it was worth my while. Still, at least you're not dead. It'd be harder for you to help Simon win this thing.
You tour the festivities for a time, and after an hour or so, the weariness of the day begins to lift from your shoulders. A loud gong sounds, and all attention is directed to the top of the ziggurat, where the Emissary stands.
"Tomorrow, a new Ruby Phoenix Champion will be named, and they will enjoy the benefits granted by that title for the next decade. Our own Marythsan will be passing that mantle onto one of the four remaining groups in less than a day. But, before we welcome that new Champion, let us be reminded once more why Marythsan the Righteous earned that title. Champion! Step forth, and display for us your skill with the blade!"
A cheer goes up from the crowd, and all heads turn to watch Marythsan stride forward.
He does not. It takes a few moments, but the crowd suddenly realizes what you do - Marythsan is not in attendance.
"And now we know who they meant to kidnap," Simon says in leaden tones...
"Where am he last being seen? We am maybe go look."
"Does Marythsan have access to the vault?" Zak fears the worst.
Asha doesn't take the proffered potions, and she holds onto the one she was given - but only because someone needs to, in case it should matter.
When she turns to look for Marthysan with the others, and he does not appear, she exchanges the same worried look her companions bear with them. "Yes, we need to go find him," she replies to Poog's comment. "Whether he can enter the Vault or not, the kidnapping was a lynchpin of the plans of the Aspis Consortium and most likely the Golden League as well. That cannot be allowed to go forward."
Simon goes limping up the steps to Marythsan's lodge as quickly as he can, calling out to the Monks on duty as he does.
"Lock down the stadium! Arrange additional security for the Emissary! We need to know where Sir Marythsan was last seen, and now! The Champion was to arrange a position of honour for defeated contenders in the Tournament -- if he had made any preparations, you have to bring out those chosen now and assemble them here; we need to put them to work at once! If he had made none, send out runners to draw them in before they leave the island! And finally..." Simon draws a deep breath before continuing: "... and finally... we must speak with the Emissary. Hurry!"
The monk that Simon flags down looks quite confused at Simon's sudden orders. "I will assemble the Ruby Phoenix Guard at once, Warrior, though there may be no cause for alarm. One of our order saw Marythsan leave shortly after the festivities began, saying something about leaving his magic cloak back at his lodging. I hope that he is just delayed, but rest assured we take our oaths to protecting the Vault and the Emissary very seriously." The monk bows to the old man, and begins spreading the orders to the rest of the Ruby Phoenix Order.
"I don't suppose we'd be so lucky that the man's actually just tardy, would we?"
"I doubt it," Simon says, a frown on his brow. "And even if we are, better safe now than sorry later. We are dealing with some truly vile opponents."
The old man limps back to the others. "I have set some wheels in motion," he says. "If they do get the defeated contenders here, we need to organize them as quickly and efficiently as possible. Zakarras, might I ask you to go up as high as you can and scan the area surrounding the arena? The Monks claim Marythsan had gone home to gather up a magic cloak. If he is on his way back here and you spot him, all to the good. If not... maybe you can spot something else."
Zarina hands the potion to Poog. "Hopefully this will give you some power over fire," she smiles toward the goblin.
Zarina is capable of casting Fly, as well, and volunteers to help Zak get some eyes in the sky.
At Simon's request, Zak launches into the sky, his keen eyes searching the surroundings.
Perception Aid Another
Zarina and Zak shoot into the air, earning cries of admiration from several people from the nearby crowd. The sun's light has dwindled to a cool purple glow, but neither Warrior spots Marythsan or anything unusual on the land surrounding the Pavilion.
"Where am him house?" Poog asks. "We am going to find him."
I wonder if he was really kidnapped. Could he be in league with these Asps?
Asha takes off running. "Come on!" she shouts to the others.
Poog follows the paladin, It racing at his heels, barking excitedly.
Simon follows after as quickly as he can.
"If the defeated contenders come here, keep them here until we return!" he shouts to one of the Monks in passing.
Zak zips through the air, keeping a lookout as the party rushes to the home of Marythsan.
Zarina follows behind the warrior, trying to follow the remainder of the team.
You race back to New Harbor, and find your way through the streets to the Champion's residence, as you have done several times over the last few days. Today, though, the door leading into the large house lies open, and even a cursory glance inside reveals a struggle has taken place. The fine appointments that once hung upon the walls are now either torn and discarded or missing entirely, several display cases that once held art objects of finely-wrought silver and gold have been smashed open, and gashes in the walls and floors suggest a battle happened here. Indeed, a Tian woman lies motionless on the floor inside room, a pool of dark crimson beneath her staining the mats.